The present invention describes a portable device for the blind to read traditionally printed texts.
The spectacular development of techniques in computers and electronics has enabled to offer high-performance equipment at attractive prices to a wider and wider range of customers: computers, scanners, printers and fax machines make up everyday tools.
Unfortunately, these breakthroughs had no repercussions for the blind, especially for getting access to reading and, more widely, to culture and knowledge.
The blind can certainly follow radio programmes for accessing cultural or other information. But, to date, they practically have no access to the information they chose. A few experiments appeared here and there to have the blind enjoy books through recorded audio tapes. More recently, other experiments have been carried out for enabling the blind to access reading by using a process that includes text scanning and data processing to have the text appear as Braille sheets. The patent EP-A-0 542 054 sets forth this kind of device.
But, while they are cumbersome and expensive, these processes do not provide any real autonomy.
To date, the salient dots method invented by Louis Braille is widely spread. The blind trained to read in Braille can read very quickly and reach an outstanding level of integration. Unfortunately, only a few books are translated into Braille and their size as well as their price is high.
A few attempts and experiments have been made for portable devices. The patent DE-A-39 01 023 discloses a portable device moved by the blind person over a newspaper properly guided against a side provided for to that end, the text acquired being transcribed into Braille lines.
However, this patent sets forth a device that presents several drawbacks insofar as the blind cannot read Braille exactly as the text is entered. Actually, the device:
requires a guiding device, PA1 is still cumbersome.
The invention disclosed in the present patent can compensate for all these drawbacks.
Actually, by using said invention, the blind person can read any book, newspaper or document printed with traditional fonts with no need for accessories, thanks to a miniature device that has the shape of a sleeve to be fitted over the tip of the user's index finger like a thimble.